The emergency funding buys a little time, but it’s not even close to enough to save the ship. $100K sounds like a pile of moolah, until you read that docking fees are $60K a month… that’s every, single month.

SS United States – known as “America’s Flagship” was one of the most luxurious ocean liners ever built, and still holds the record for the fastest transatlantic crossing ever.

But the iconic ship now sits moldering at a Philadelphia pier, bleeding money while hoping for a miracle plan to save her from the chop shop.

SS United States souvenir postcard via wikipedia

A Red Hook developer has been in talks with the SS US Conservancy for a year, on a proposal to bring her home to New York, specifically to Gowanus Bay, Brooklyn. Moving the ship will require a fair amount of money, and more time to get things in place, but it is far better than the frightening reality of having to grind up our maritime heritage into bits of commodity scrap metal.

“A Brooklyn developer has offered a strategy to convert the liner into a mixed-use development. The Brooklyn Paper reports that John Quadrozzi Jr., the concrete magnate who owns the Gowanus Bay Terminal, has offered to house the ship at that terminal rent-free.

Quadrozzi wants to work with the SS United States Conservancy to renovate United States’ 12 decks for various uses, including office space, museums, and a maritime school.”

Excellent news. Thank you SOS, Mr Quadrozzi and the Conservancy for staving off this maritime disaster of scrapping the SS United States. The PONY is the home to some of the real players in our industry, ones who can make a difference and we all hope that with their support, America’s flag ship will be saved for future generations. The recent loss of El Faro, gone down with all hands, is reminder of how our merchant marine toils away 365 days a year with little fanfare. A refurbished SS United States would be a great tribute to all who have made their life’s work on the seas and “delivering the goods.”